Browse "Women"

Arlene (Alnora) Pach (b Nimmons). Pianist, teacher, b Kamloops, BC, 26 May 1928, d Fredericton, 2 Mar 2000; ATCM 1945; BA philosophy (British Columbia) 1949, honorary LL D (Saint Thomas) 1988, honorary D LITT (New Brunswick) 1993.

Arlene Stamp, painter (b at London, Ont 4 June 1938). Stamp studied art at the Alberta College of Art and Design (1974-76) and the University of Calgary (BFA, 1979, and post-graduate studies from 1979-80). Previously she had studied mathematics at the University of Western Ontario (BA, 1960).

Arlette Cousture, novelist (b at Saint-Lambert 3 Apr 1948). With a Bachelor of Arts from collège Sainte-Marie and education in cultural and theatre activities from the Université du Québec à Montréal, Arlette Cousture practised various professions before devoting herself to writing.

It has taken her far. She fell in love on the set, left her husband, moved to Toronto and began a new life. "I had met an artist from my own background," she says. "This was the world I had always dreamt about without knowing it.

Arsinée Khanjian, actor (b at Beirut, Lebanon 6 Sept 1958). Arsinée Khanjian grew up in Beirut and attended Armenian National and Catholic schools until she was 17 years old, when her family immigrated to Canada and settled in Montréal.

SHE'S JUST 12 years old, so sweet she could make your teeth ache, and cute enough to have her image plastered on young people's bedroom walls. Have I mentioned she can sing a little, too? Yes, Aselin Debison - the anti-Britney, the pride of Glace Bay, N.S.

Astrid Dora Janson, scenographer (born at Cappel, Westphalia, Germany 9 June 1947). Astrid Janson has designed for theatre, television, opera and dance.

Aszure Barton, dancer, choreographer (born at Edmonton). Aszure Barton began tap dance classes at age 3 and soon added ballet, highland, musical theatre, jazz and modern dance to her training.

Audrey (Cecilia) Cooke (m Belyea). Pianist, organist, b Winnipeg 1 Aug 1930; ARCT 1966. She studied during the 1940s with Gwendda Owen Davies, and in the 1960s with Jean Broadfoot, Douglas Bodle, Leonard Isaacs, and Donald Hadfield.

Audrey Grace Thomas, née Callahan, novelist and short story writer (b at Binghamton, NY 17 Nov 1935). Audrey Thomas was educated at Smith College, Mass, and St Andrews University, Scotland, and then taught in England for a year.

Audrey Johannesen (née Johnston), pianist, teacher (born 12 September 1930 in Regina, SK; died 21 May 2015 in Tsawwassen, BC). ATCM 1944, LRAM 1950, premier prix Brussels 1953. She studied with Frances England and Lyell Gustin in Regina and with Max Pirani at Banff.

Augusta (Louise) Beverley Robinson. Mezzo-soprano, b Toronto 12 Feb 1859, d there 9 Sep 1935. Her grandfather, Sir John Beverley Robinson, was chief justice of Upper Canada.

Avis (Ruth) Phillips. Soprano, teacher, b Winnipeg 16 Nov 1900, d Vancouver 7 Mar 1986; ATCM 1918, ARCM voice 1925, ARCM piano 1925. After piano studies in Mount Forest, Ont, with Alice Roger Collins, she attended the RCM 1921-5 under Aubyn Raymar (piano) and Edith Grepe (voice).

Avril Ramona Lavigne, singer, songwriter (b at Belleville, Ont 27 Sept 1984). Avril Lavigne began singing gospel music in church as a child, then went on to belt out country songs at music festivals and talent contests before she was discovered by Arista Records.

This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on January 13, 2003. Partner content is not updated.

Barbara Amiel, journalist and Lady Black of Crossharbour (b at Hertfordshire, Eng 1940). Barbara Amiel immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, with her mother in 1952 where at the age of 14 she won first prize in a Hamilton Spectator essay contest.

Her Red series (1980) represented a breakthrough on several levels: symbolism, content and form.

Barbara Cass-Beggs (b Cass, m Beggs). Teacher, folksong collector, singer, b Nottingham, England, 10 Nov 1904, d Ottawa 13 Sep 1990; ARCM 1927, LRAM 1928. She studied voice, piano, pedagogy, and composition at the RCM, where her teachers were Basil Allchin, Percy Buck, C.C.

Barbara Chilcott, actor (born Barbara Chilcott Davis in Newmarket, Ont 1923). As a child and young woman in Toronto, Chilcott studied acting with Josephine Barrington and dancing with Bettina Byers at Academy Ballet, and attended Tamara Dakarhanova's School of the Theatre in Mount Kisco, NY.

Barbara Franklin (m Perkins). Soprano, actress, b Regina 14 Jun 1929, d Toronto 15 Feb 2009; LRCT 1954, Artist diploma (Toronto) 1954.